Bracing apparatus
An easy to use form bracing apparatus and the method of using same that can be quickly and easily used to accurately plumb and securely brace a generally vertically extending member such as a column form into which concrete is to be poured to form a concrete column. The bracing apparatus includes a collar assembly constructed and arranged to be secured about the member and first and second supporting surface engaging braces that are connected to the collar assembly. The collar assembly includes a strap that is selected from a plurality of straps of different lengths and a pair of spaced apart brace support assemblies that are connected to the selected strap. Each strap is provided with a plurality of strategically spaced apart locating elements that are used to locate the brace support assemblies at strategic locations along the length of the belt.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISCNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a concrete forming apparatus and the method of using the same. More particularly, the invention concerns a novel form bracing apparatus that is especially well suited for use in plumbing and bracing forms for pouring concrete columns.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A common practice in the construction industry is to use elongate paper fiber tubes to form concrete columns. Once the tube is in place and properly anchored, it must be suitably plumbed and braced before concrete is poured into the interior of the tube and allowed to harden so as to form a column. After the concrete has hardened, the tube is stripped away from the concrete column and discarded.
Because of the drawbacks and the expense of paper forming tubes, the present inventor has developed a novel, lightweight, forming system that includes a reusable, flexible jacket that can be secured about a selected Styrofoam core. This forming system is illustrated and described in U.S. Publication No. 2009-0232606. As will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, the form bracing apparatus of the present invention can be used with this forming system as well as with other prior art forming systems to plumb and brace the form into which the concrete is to be poured.
It is generally agreed by those skilled in the art that column forms must be plumbed and braced in two directions. In the past, this bracing is typically accomplished by nailing a 2×4 box-like structure near the top of the form and to a pair of stakes, generally also made from 2×4s that extend from the structure toward the supporting surface at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. However, some contractors prefer to use adjustable brace clamps of a character produced by various manufacturers.
These prior art procedures are quite cumbersome, very time-consuming and often produce inaccurate results.
Accordingly, the thrust of the present invention is to provide a reusable bracing system that is of simple construction, is easy to use with a minimum of instruction and one that accurately plumbs and securely braces the column form. When in position, the novel design of the bracing system ensures that the form remains plumb while the concrete is poured and during the concrete curing step.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBy way of brief summary, in one embodiment of the invention, the form bracing apparatus comprises a collar assembly constructed and arranged to be secured about the form or about other generally vertically extending members and first and second supporting surface engaging braces that are connected to the collar assembly. The collar assembly includes a strap that is selected from a plurality of straps of different lengths and a pair of spaced apart brace support assemblies that are secured to the selected strap. Each strap is provided with a plurality of strategically spaced apart locator elements that are used to locate the brace support assemblies to the collar at the location of selected ones of said locator elements.
Each of the brace support assemblies comprises a base having a strap receiving opening and a pair of vertically spaced attachment members that are connected to and extend from the base. The support surface engaging braces are connected to the vertically spaced attachment members using suitable connectors.
With the forgoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-use form bracing apparatus and the method of using same that can be quickly and easily used to accurately plumb and securely brace a generally vertically extending member such as the column form into which the concrete is to be poured.
Another object of the invention is to provide a form bracing apparatus that can be used to plumb and brace generally vertically extending members such as column forms of various types and of various diameters.
Another object of the invention is to provide a form bracing apparatus of the class described that is of simple construction and one that requires a minimum number of simple hand tools to accomplish the erection of the apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to provide a form bracing apparatus of the character described that is compact and easy to store and transport.
Another object of the invention is to provide a form bracing apparatus of the character described in the preceding paragraphs that is reusable and one that can be used by relatively untrained workmen with a minimum of instruction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bracing apparatus of the class described that can be used to brace and stabilize a variety of different types of cylindrically shaped objects such as, for example, poles or steel pipes until permanent securement can be achieved.
These and other objects of the invention will be achieved by the novel apparatus illustrated in the drawings and described in the paragraphs which follow.
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
As illustrated in
As best seen in
Also forming an important part of the bracing apparatus of the present embodiment of the invention are elongate first and second brace assemblies 42 and 44 (
As illustrated in
Strap 22a is designed for use with forms having diameters of 14 inches, 16 inches and 18 inches. Accordingly, second grommet 26-2 is spaced from first grommet 26-1 by a distance “D-1” of approximately 33.75 inches, third grommet 26-3 is spaced from first grommet 26-1 by a distance “D-2” of approximately 37.75 inches and fourth grommet 26-4 is spaced from first grommet 26-1 by a distance “D-3” of approximately 41.75 inches. With this construction, when strap 22a is used with a form having a diameter of 14 inches, the strap is inserted into the opening 28 of a first brace support assembly 18 and is moved to a position where grommet 26-2 is in alignment with pin 38 of the brace support assembly. The alignment pin is then threaded inwardly of bore 36a of plate 36 and snugged down so as to secure the brace support assembly to the belt 22a at the location of grommet 26-2 to form a first assembly. The second brace support assembly 18 is moved to a position where grommet 26-1 is in alignment with pin 38 of the brace support assembly. The alignment pin is then threaded inwardly of bore 36a of plate 36 of the second brace support assembly and snugged down so as to secure the assembly to the belt 22a at the location of grommet 26-1 to form a second assembly comprising the strap assembly and the first and second strategically spaced apart brace support assemblies.
In accordance with one form of the method of the invention, after the construction of the second assembly is completed, the assembly can be interconnected with the upper portion of the 14 inch diameter form “F” in the manner illustrated in
Following connection of the second assembly with the form “F”, the connector member 48 of the elongate first brace assembly 42 is inserted between and connected to attachment members 30 and 32 of the first brace support assembly 18 using the bolt 49. This done, the second end 46a of the brace of the first brace assembly is positioned in engagement with the supporting surface so that the brace extends outwardly from the form at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The brace assembly is then secured in position by the stake 56 in the manner illustrated in
As previously mentioned, strap 22a can be used in a similar manner in connection with a column form having a diameter of either 16 or 18 inches. When used with a form having a 16 inch diameter, the first brace support assembly is connected to the strap in the manner previously described at the location of the grommet 26-1. However, in this instance, the second brace support assembly is connected to the strap at the location of the grommet 26-3. Similarly, when used with a form having an 18 inch diameter the first brace support assembly is connected to the strap in the manner previously described at the location of the grommet 26-1. However, in this latter case, the second brace support assembly is connected to the strap at the location of the grommet 26-4. When strap 22a is used with either a 16 or 18 inch diameter form, the first and second brace support assemblies will be spaced apart by an angle of approximately 90 degrees.
Strap 22b is designed for use in a manner described in the preceding paragraphs with forms having diameters of 20 inches, 22 inches and 24 inches. Accordingly, as illustrated in
Strap 22c (see
Strap 22d (see
Strap 22e (see
Strap 22f (see
Referring next to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As best seen in
Also forming an important part of the bracing apparatus of the present embodiment of the invention are elongate first and second brace assemblies 42 and 44 (
As before, the bracing apparatus of this latest form of the invention includes a plurality of straps 72 of different lengths and different configurations. Straps 72 are of similar construction and operation to those illustrated in
As in the earlier described embodiment of the invention, in this latest embodiment a number of straps are provided to accommodate the forms of various sizes as earlier described. Similarly, as previously mentioned, the rivets 76 are spaced apart at the same intervals as the grommets 26 illustrated in
By way of example, one of the straps 72 of this latest form of the invention can be designed for use with forms having diameters of 14 inches, 16 inches and 18 inches. With such a strap, a second rivet is spaced from a first rivet by a distance of approximately 33.75 inches, a third rivet is spaced from the first rivet by a distance of approximately 37.75 inches and a fourth rivet is spaced from the first rivet by a distance of approximately 41.75 inches (see
In accordance with an alternate form of the method of the invention, after the construction of the second assembly of this alternate embodiment of the invention is completed, the assembly can be interconnected with the upper portion of the 14 inch diameter form “F” in the manner illustrated in
Following connection of the second assembly of this latest embodiment of the invention with the form “F”, the connector member 48 of the elongate first brace assembly 42 is inserted between and connected to attachment members 82 and 84 of the first brace support assembly 68 using the connector pin 94. This done, the second end 46a of the brace of the first brace assembly is positioned in engagement with the supporting surface so that the brace extends outwardly from the form at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The brace assembly is then secured in position in the manner illustrated in
As previously mentioned, and in a manner similar to that described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention, a second strap of a different length can be used in a similar manner in connection with a column form having a diameter of 16, 18, or of a greater diameter.
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A bracing apparatus for bracing a generally vertically extending member comprising:
- (a) a collar assembly constructed and arranged to be secured about the generally vertically extending member, said collar assembly including a strap having a plurality of spaced apart locator elements and a plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies connected to said strap at the location of selected ones of said locator elements, each said brace support assembly having a strap receiving opening and an attachment member;
- (b) an elongate first brace having a first surface engagement end and a second end for interconnection with said attachment member of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced apart brace support assemblies; and
- (c) an elongate second brace having a first surface engagement end and a second end for interconnection with said attachment member of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies.
2. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which each of said attachment members of each said brace support assembly has an aperture; in which a connector member is connected to said second end of each of said elongate first and second braces, each of said connector members having an aperture; and in which each of said brace support assemblies further includes a connector member receivable within said apertures.
3. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said locator elements comprise a plurality of spaced apart locating grommets.
4. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said locator elements comprise a plurality of spaced apart rivets.
5. A bracing apparatus for bracing a vertical form for pouring a concrete column comprising:
- (a) a collar assembly constructed and arranged to be secured about the form, said collar assembly including a strap and a plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies connected to said strap, each said brace support assembly having an attachment member;
- (b) an elongate first brace having a first surface engagement end and a second end for interconnection with said attachment member of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced apart brace support assemblies; and
- (c) an elongate second brace having a first surface engagement end and a second end for interconnection with said attachment member of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies.
6. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which each of said attachment members of each said brace support assembly has an aperture; in which a connector member is connected to said second end of each of said elongate first and second braces, each of said connector members having an aperture; and in which each of said brace support assemblies further includes a connector member receivable within said apertures.
7. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said strap of said collar assembly includes first, second, third and fourth spaced apart locating grommets and in which each of said brace support assemblies includes a locating pin receivable within a selected one of said first, second, third, and fourth spaced apart locating grommets.
8. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said second grommet is spaced from said first grommet by a distance of approximately 33.75 inches.
9. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said third grommet is spaced from said first grommet by a distance of approximately 37.75 inches and in which said fourth grommet is spaced from said first grommet by a distance of approximately 41.75 inches.
10. A bracing apparatus for bracing a vertical form for pouring a concrete column comprising:
- (a) a collar assembly constructed and arranged to be secured about the form, said collar assembly including: (i) a strap assembly including an elongated strap having first and second ends, a ratchet buckle releasably interconnecting said first and second ends and first, second, third and fourth spaced apart locating grommets; and (ii) a plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies connected to said strap, each of said brace support assemblies having a strap receiving opening and comprising: a. a pair of vertically spaced attachment members; b. a generally vertically extending support; and c. a locating pin connected to said generally vertically extending support, said locating pin being receivable within a selected one of said first, second, third and fourth spaced apart locating grommets of said strap; and
- (b) an elongate first brace having a first surface engagement end and a second end receivable between and interconnected with said pair of vertically spaced attachment members of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced apart brace support assemblies; and
- (c) an elongate second brace having a first surface engagement end and a second end receivable between and interconnected with said pair of vertically spaced attachment members of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies.
11. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which each of said vertically spaced attachment members of each said brace support assemblies has an aperture; in which said second end of each of said elongate first and second braces has an aperture; and in which each of said brace support assemblies further includes a connector receivable within said apertures.
12. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which each of said brace support assemblies further includes reinforcement members interconnecting said pair of vertically spaced attachment members with said generally vertical support.
13. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said second end of each of said elongate first and second braces comprises a generally planar member receivable between said vertically spaced attachment members of a selected one of said plurality of circumferentially spaced brace support assemblies.
14. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said second grommet of said elongated strap is spaced from said first grommet of said belt by a distance of approximately 47.75 inches.
15. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said third grommet of said elongated strap is spaced from said first grommet of said elongated strap by a distance of approximately 51.75 inches and in which said fourth grommet of said elongated strap is spaced from said first grommet by a distance of approximately 55.75 inches.
16. The bracing apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said third grommet of said belt is spaced from said first grommet of said belt by a distance of approximately 66 inches and in which said fourth grommet of said belt is spaced from said first grommet by a distance of approximately 70 inches.
17. A method for accurately plumbing and securing in position a column form into which concrete is to be poured to form a concrete column using a bracing apparatus comprising a collar assembly constructed and arranged to be secured about the form, said collar assembly including a strap having first, second, third and fourth spaced apart locating elements and first and second spaced apart brace support assemblies, each said brace support assembly having a strap receiving opening and a surface having an aperture; an elongate first brace having a first supporting surface engagement end and a second end having a connector member and an elongate second brace having a first supporting surface engagement end and a second end having a connector member, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) aligning a selected one of said first, second, third and fourth spaced apart locating elements with said aperture of said surface of said second brace support assembly having an aperture to form a first assembly;
- (b) aligning a selected another one of said first, second, third and fourth spaced apart locating elements with said aperture of said surface of said first brace support assembly having an aperture to form a second assembly;
- (c) connecting said connector member of said elongate first brace to said attachment member of said first brace support assembly and placing said first end of said elongate first brace into engagement with said supporting surface; and
- (e) connecting said connector member of said elongate second brace to said attachment member of said second brace support assembly and a placing said first end of said elongate second brace into engagement with said supporting surface.
18. The method as defined in claim 17 in which said bracing apparatus further comprises a plurality of straps of different lengths and different configurations and in which said method comprises the step of, prior to forming said first assembly, selecting one of said plurality of straps of different lengths and configurations.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 21, 2010
Publication Date: Jan 26, 2012
Inventor: Blayde Penza (Sun Valley, CA)
Application Number: 12/804,410
International Classification: B23Q 3/00 (20060101); F16M 13/00 (20060101);